The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-09-21
CONSTITUTIONAL CELEBRATIoN

The celebration of the centennial of the
adoption of the Constitution of the United
States, observed in Philadelphia, last
week, probably exeelled anything of the
kind heretofore attempted on this conti-
nent. The occasion drew together the
most eminent men from all parts of the
Union, and tens of thousands of private
citizens drawn from every State were
present to honor the observance and wit
ness the parades.
On Thursday, Broad street, for four
miles in length, was packed with three
quarters of million people, who stood
for six hours while the industrial parade
passed, showing by its exhibits the won
derful progress of one hundred years.
There were immense floats with tableaux
suggesting scenes of century ago old
plows and other simple agricultural i'm
plements in contrast with the wonderful
reaping, binding and farm machinery of
to-day the first locomotive used in this
country compared with one of Baldwin's
latest in motion on the street the splen-
did exhibit of the Penna. r. r. Co.,
showing the pack mules, the Conestoga
wagon, the stage coach, the canal boat,
the surveyors party, the track layers, the
mail, freight, passenger, parlor and other
model cars of the Company, bringing up
the rear with full-size locomotive the
wonderful development in manufactures
as exhibited in the goods now made and
those made century ago, etc. Tho pro-
gress in the treatment Of the Indians was
shown by the exhibit of the Carlisle H.
dian school and the two or three hundred
boys marching in uniform, carrying states.
The old hand fire engine was compared
with the steamer of to-day, and the old
volunteer fire department with the new
paid department. But it is impossible to
particularize. The parade was grand
one, although rendered somewhat tire
some and mopotonous by the large turn
out of firemen and Knights of the Golden
Eagle.
On Friday the parade of tho military,
about $4,000 in number, led by the gal
liant Gen. Phil. Sheridan, took place. 1t
could scarcely be finer Splendidly equip
ed troops, marching magniiicently, with
that variety in uniforms which lent pic
turesqueness to the parade, with the in
spiriting music of the finest martial and
brass bands, was scene that was well
worth going hundreds of miles to see.
Here were troops from South Carolina
and Massachusetts, Georgia aud Maine,
Virginia and Vermont, and from various
other States of the Union, North and
South. They all carried the glorious old
''stars and stripes and marched under
the banner of the Constitution. At the
head Of their resnSfSrse e q ~
dbflion, Of Georgia. Fitzhugh Lee, Of
Virginia; Gov. Foraker of Ohio; Gov.
Green, Of New Jersey, ETC. Which were
the best disciplined, it would be hard to
say. Both North and South sent their
best, and all received most hearty APP
plause. The line took about three hours
to pass.
The details of either parade cannot be
given within the limits Of q weekly paper
Even the smaller dailies were not equal
to it,
On Saturday, the concluding exercises
took place in Independence Square. JUS
ticc Miller of the Supreme Court, delivered
an address and the children of the public
schools sang. The crush, as on preceding
days, was tremendous.
When it comes to public demonsha.
tions it must be acknowledged that Phil.
adelphia takes the palm from any city on
this continent. 1t does everything on a
magnificent scale and with lavish gener-
osity.